1921-22 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS 83 



of these townships. The east boundary of the township of Leeson was then 

 continued from the point established on the north shore of the lake to O.L.S. 

 Niven's base line, thus on the 3rd of September completing the survey. 



All the east and west lines were run as chords of the parallels of latitude, 

 passing through the corners of the respective townships. Frequent observations 

 were taken on Polaris throughout the survey. The notes of a number of these 

 accompany the field notes. 



All lines were well opened out and carefully blazed. Where possible, 

 cairns of stones were built about the posts planted and, except in a few instances 

 where recent fires had laid bare the country, each post was referenced to two 

 bearing trees. Wooden posts were selected from the most durable material 

 available in the vicinity of each mile post and the posts themselves firmly 

 planted. Great care was taken to plant the iron posts in the most workmanlike- 

 manner possible, and every effort was made to so dig the trenches and pits that 

 they would comply fully with your instructions and be permanent witnesses 

 as to the positions of the posts. 



General Features. . ' 



The area embraced in these townships lies mostly to the north-east of the 

 height of land, but township 44 and parts of the townships of Lang and Stover 

 drain southward to Lake Superior. The other townships are drained by the 

 head waters of the Missinaibi River, Dog Lake, Crooked Lake and Missinaibi 

 Lake form an excellent canoe route across the centre townships and numerous 

 other small lakes crossed by our lines. 



The surface is hilly throughout, and the township of Lang and the south- 

 west part of township 44 are decidedly rough. 



In the northerly two townships, considerable areas of cedar swamp were 

 encountered. We are not in a position to say, however, whether the length of 

 the swamps where crossed by our lines is really indicative of their extent through- 

 out the townships. These swamps represent the only possibilities of the land 

 from an agricultural standpoint, as elsewhere the country is a succession of 

 rock and granite ridges, absolutely unsuited to agriculture. 



Timber. 



Part of the forest south and west of the height of land has recently been 

 lumbered. Messrs. Austin and Nicholson have a tie camp in operation near 

 mile 5 on the south boundary of the township of Lang, and some thousands of 

 ties had also been taken out during last winter from the country adjacent 

 to Dog Lake. 



Between Crooked Lake and Missinaibi Lake, in the townships of Lang and 

 Brackin, there is apparently a very considerable area of good jack pine and spruce 

 and various other smaller stands were crossed by our lines. Probably not more 

 than 35 per cent, of the area of the townships surveyed has escaped fire within 

 the last fifty years. About 40 per cent, of the township of Lang was burnt over, 

 apparently about twenty years ago, and an extensive area north of Crooked 

 Lake suffered about the same time. Both these areas are now largely covered 

 by a dense growth of young jack pine. 



The rapid strides now being made in the development of the air ship and 

 aeroplane suggest that in the near future it may be possible to supplement the 

 information gained from a township outline suvery by air photographs of the 



